**Products are sold online and in-store simultaneously. The stock quantity may not be updated in the online system in time. **
Key Features
15,000mW Max. Output
The iCAN PHANTOM is an extraordinarily powerful headphone amplifier, capable of delivering more than 15,000mW from its balanced outputs and more than 5,760mW from its single-ended outputs in a 16-ohm load. In terms of voltage, it can supply more than 27V into a 600-ohm load; when it comes to electrostatic headphones delivers up to 640V.
Powers IEMs, Headphones, and Electrostatics
Three gain settings – 0dB, 9dB and 18dB – enable the amp to precisely match the connected headphones. Unity gain (0dB) is useful to ensure low noise with more sensitive headphones and IEMs, while the higher gain settings make the most of tougher headphone loads, delivering excellent dynamic headroom.
For dynamic and planar headphones and IEMs.
Solid-State, Tube, and Tube+ Modes
The iCAN PHANTOM sports several unique features that set it apart from other headphone amps. One such facility is the incorporation of two input stages – one valve/tube-based, the other solid state – enabling the user to switch between the two in real time. These input stages are entirely separate, which means they can be kept short and direct for optimal purity rather than complicating the signal path (for example, by switching valves in and out of a single circuit).
The fully discrete Class A solid-state input stage uses J-FETs, while the all-valve Class A circuit features a hand-selected, computer-matched pair of General Electric 5670 tubes, a premium variant of the 6922 tube. This stage has two user-selectable modes – Tube and Tube+. The latter minimises overall loop-gain and thus negative feedback, giving a different trade-off between the tube’s natural harmonics and the transient performance.
PureWave PRO Circuitry
Balanced circuit design has long been considered a righteous path to audio excellence in high-end amp design, but the term ‘balanced’ is used in different ways and does not always mean the same thing. The iCAN PHANTOM takes balanced circuit design to the extreme – fully differential from input to output, minimising noise and crosstalk in the signal path for ultimate sonic purity.
Essentially, ‘fully differential’ circuit design – or True Differential Balanced, as we call it – means that each channel (left and right) is fully separated in the circuit design, and each of these channels has two separate signals of equal level but opposite polarity (positive and negative). This requires four separate amp circuits, two for the left channel and two for the right channel – much more costly and complex to implement than single-ended circuit designs, but the sonic dividends are hugely worthwhile.
The iCAN PHANTOM’s True Differential Balanced circuitry is coupled to a volume control with six decks – two decks for each channel (positive and negative) with the final two decks used for monitoring the volume control operation. The motorised volume control potentiometer is custom-made by ALPS in Japan and is of exceptional quality.
The Rolls-Royce of flagships
The iCAN PHANTOM’s design gives the appearance of two units but in fact it is a single, dual-level device, the full depth of which is fully utilised by its multi-layer circuit design. Its enclosure is sturdily constructed from aluminium, with the bottom layer sporting cable connections front and back, and the top layer offering tactile controls and a colourful OLED display.
Electrostatically good!
The iCAN PHANTOM incorporates our original standalone iESL energiser technology with regular amplifier technology to make a single amplifier that can handle every headphone type with aplomb. All users benefit as the component quality and clever circuit design required to deliver such a high level of performance with electrostatic headphones elevates the amp’s performance with other headphone types too.
Bias voltage simplified
The iCAN PHANTOM has a series of data cards that specify different bias voltages (these are supplied with the amp). Simply select the card that matches the headphone’s specification and pop it in the card slot – there are cards for 500V, 540V 580V, 600V, 620V and 640V each with a handy guide on the back showing which headphone brand is compatible with that voltage.
iFi Nexis – network connected control
The iCAN PHANTOM is the first product to incorporate iFi Nexis, a module which combines with an app to provide a comprehensive, scalable network-connected control system. The features that Nexis offers will grow over time. At launch, the Nexis app enables your Android or iOS device to act as a ‘super remote control’ for the iCAN PHANTOM, providing access to additional features not accessible via the amp’s fascia or standard remote control.
Every connection covered
The iCAN PHANTOM supplies a wide array of balanced and single-ended connection options. The headphone outputs are at the front, with the source inputs and preamp outputs at the rear.
A tale of two input stages
The iCAN PHANTOM sports two input stages – one valve/tube-based, the other solid state – enabling the user to switch between the two in real time. It is, indeed, like having three amplifiers in one, each with a different sonic presentation.
The GE5670 valves have an expected lifespan of around 10,000+ hours of use. When the time eventually comes to replace them, the iCAN PHANTOM’s smoked glass panel is easily removed to provide access, meaning the job can be completed in minutes.
Specifications
DIMENSIONS
256 × 185 × 120 mm (10.1" x 7.3" × 4.7")
ESL OUTPUT VOLTAGE
Custom/Pro640V RMS max
Normal320V RMS max.
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
0.5Hz to 500kHz(-3dB)
GAIN
0dB, 9dB and 18dB user-selectable
INPUT VOLTAGE
DC 12V/4A or 15V/3A (Phantom iCAN)
LIMITED WARRANTY
12 months
MAXIMUM OUTPUT POWER
Balanced>15,000mW (@ 16Ω)
UnBAL>5,760mW (@ 16Ω)
MAXIMUM OUTPUT VOLTAGE
Balanced>27.0V (@ 600Ω)
UnBAL>14.0V (@600Ω)
NET WEIGHT
4.2 kg (9.3 Ibs)
POWER CONSUMPTION
< 27W idle, 75W max
RMS OUTPUT POWER
Balanced>9,030mW (@ 32Ω)
UnBAL>3,120mW (@ 32Ω)
SNR
Balanced>145dB(A)
UnBAL> 130dB(A)
THD+N
Solid state
Balanced: ≤0.0015%
Unbal: ≤0.007%
Tube
Balanced: ≤0.002%
Unbal: ≤0.006%
Tube plus
Balanced: ≤0.012%
Unbal: ≤0.2%
What's in the Box
1x iCAN Phantom
1x RCA Cable
1x iPower Elite
1x Infrared Remote Control
1x User Manual
